Why is it so common to blend Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot? And what about the other well-known Bordeaux varieties like Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot? We speak so casually about classic Bordeaux blends, but we rarely talk about what each variety brings to the party.

First, why do we call them Bordeaux varieties when we're here in California? As you know, only a very small amount of American wine is made of Native American grape varieties. Many of them aren't suitable, and the rest we just don't like! Virtually all of the varieties we use commercially came here by cuttings from Europe - thus the difficult names. You'll find the same varieties world wide, wherever wine is grown. Perhaps it's a case of preferring what we're accustomed to, but we all seem to love these venerable, old varieties.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
We call it the "King of Grapes," and a serious collector's cellar will always include great Cabernets, whether they're from the Medoc, Napa Valley or Coonawara. Some of them are 100% Cabernet, but more often they're blends. If Cabernet is the king of grapes, why would we choose to blend it?

As a variety, Cabernet Sauvignon is a new kid on the block compared to the ancient Pinot Noir of Burgundy or the Syrah of the Rhone. It didn't become important in Bordeaux until the late 1700s. It's the child of two older grapes of the region: Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It gets its beautiful, black-currant character from the Cabernet Franc and a hint of bell pepper from the Sauvignon Blanc. If you buy Bordeaux wine from the left bank, such as a Pauillac or a Margaux, it's predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon.

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